


Lights Over the Red Rocks

by CrackerboxPalace



Category: Nancy Drew (Video Games), Nancy Drew - Carolyn Keene
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-18
Updated: 2019-08-24
Packaged: 2020-05-14 07:16:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19268398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrackerboxPalace/pseuds/CrackerboxPalace
Summary: Nancy Drew is called to Sedona, Arizona, by her cousin to help track down a thief in her crystal shop; the local police has their hands full with countless thefts and robberies around town. At the same time, Sonny Joon has heard enough stories of unexplained lights in the skies over northern Arizona that he has to investigate himself. The alien enthusiast and amateur detective reconnect after their adventures in New Zealand and realize they need each other's help to solve their mysteries.





	1. Chapter 1

Of all the places Nancy thought she'd return to for a case, Arizona was not high on the list.

Not because she didn't want to. In fact, she rather enjoyed her first time in Arizona with the romantic history, attractive ranch hands and near-death situations--who doesn't enjoy those? But she never thought she'd have another reason to go back.

But then she received a call from her cousin Maddie. Maddie, who had grown up near Nancy and was a childhood friend of hers, was now married and living in Sedona, Arizona, a town Nancy had vaguely heard of for a reason she couldn't remember. She owned a store there which had just be robbed. In fact, so many stores in Sedona had been robbed that the local police were overwhelmed. Maddie's robbery had been small, which, while still quite an inconvenience for her, put her near the bottom of the police's priorities. But who needs the police when you have a detective in the family?

Nancy took little time saying yes. She not only wanted to help out her dear cousin, but it had been a few months since her last case, which meant she was going stir-crazy in River Heights.

So she once again boarded a flight from Chicago to Phoenix. But instead of catching a ride south with a handsome cowboy, she rented a car and made the two-hour drive north to the small town of Sedona.

Sitting at a very long red light on the outskirts of town, Nancy inputted Maddie's address into her car's GPS. When she looked up from the screen, she was struck by the breathtaking landscape outside. The town was surrounded by mountains, like much of Arizona, but none looked quite like these. In the light of the setting sun, the rocks seemed to glow gold and red, while the shadows were a gorgeous deep violet. _Note to self_ , Nancy thought. _Bring Bess and George here for a vacation, and bring some hiking shoes._

About 10 minutes later, Nancy had arrived at her destination--as the car's chipper GPS would not stop saying--and pulled into a parking lot between two buildings. The air was cool and crisp as Nancy got out of the car, which was a welcome relief after the drive. The only problem, she realized, was that she didn't know which of the many shops around her was her cousin's. Maddie hadn't told her the name of it over the phone, or at least, Nancy hoped she didn't because if she did, Nancy had definitely forgotten.

She started glancing in store windows, trying not to look too odd or creepy. Finally, in a store called "Treasures of the Earth," Nancy could see her cousin behind the counter, helping a blue-haired customer. She looked up and caught Nancy's eye, then waved her into the shop.

The girl detective walked in and was immediately met by the strong aroma of incense. Her eye was caught by a flash of light in the corner, and looking around, the whole store seemed to be lit up, as crystals and gemstones reflected the sun and lamps. Now she remembered why she had heard of Sedona: it was a "hippie haven," New Age sort of town, and her cousin seemed to be a part of it, judging by her collection. Unexpected, but cool.

"Hi Nancy!" Maddie's familiar voice rang out. Nancy turned away from the merchandise and smiled warmly. "It's so great to see you again! I'll be with you in just a sec."

"Nancy?" Another voice, also familiar, but male. Nancy turned to the only other person in the store, the customer. Her eyes widened instantly with recognition.

"Sonny Joon?!"


	2. Chapter 2

The first thing Nancy noticed was that he hadn't changed his hair.

For some reason, she had expected that the next time she saw Sonny Joon--if there was a next time, the first honestly felt like a fever dream--his hair would be, like, highlighter yellow or neon green. But it was still the same galaxy-like mix of blue and purple, which matched both his galaxy-print shirt and his ever-present purple glasses.

Then the realization hits her like a truck. Sonny Joon. In Sedona. At the same time as her. _Of all the crystal shops in all the towns in all the world._

Nancy realized no one had said anything since her exclamation, and she was about to speak again when Maddie filled the uncomfortable silence.

"So you two know each other? Wow, the universe is so crazy and amazing some times."

Sonny cocked his head to the side and grinned at Nancy. "Yeah, the universe is great." _And by universe, he probably means aliens,_ Nancy thought.

"Uh, yeah," she replied. Something about Sonny Joon always knocked her off her game. She was usually quick on her feet, but that was around normal, predictable people. Sonny was neither. "We met in New Zealand, when Bess and George and I did that reality show?"

"Oh, yeah, that was so cool!" Maddie said. "Lila loves that little sheep doll, by the way. Sleeps with it every night."

"She clearly hasn't met any real sheep then," Sonny chimed in. "Not the nicest dudes." Nancy shot him a glance, and he seemed to get the message. "Anyway, thanks for the advice. The amethyst really goes well with my hair." He turned to Nancy. "I'm sure the universe will bring us together again, so… see you soon!" And with that, he was out the door, almost as abruptly as he left New Zealand.

"Interesting guy." Maddie's voice broke Nancy's thoughts, and she realized she had been staring at the door since he left.

"Yeah, let's go with interesting." Then, shaking her head, she put thoughts of the blue-haired boy out of her mind. She turned to her cousin and embraced her warmly. "So how have you been?"

"Oh, John's great, Lila's great, the business is great, minus the theft." Maddie's smile faltered. "It wasn't that bad, really, everyone else who got hit seemed to get worse. But it's made me a little paranoid."

Nancy put a hand on Maddie's shoulder. "That's why I'm here, to help you get your peace of mind back. After all you did to take care of me when we were younger, I want to do the same."

Maddie smiled again, her green eyes crinkling. "Thanks, Nance. So, about the theft…"

"Right." Nancy took a small notebook out of her purse, poised to take down everything. Maddie took a seat on a stool behind the counter and gestured to the one next to her for Nancy.

"It happened last Sunday. I was the only one here, and there were a lot of customers. I was helping this one girl pick out some incense. When I finished with her, someone asked me about clear quartz. I took them over to the display, and they were all gone.

"I asked everyone who was there if they had seen anything, but no one had. The basket of quartz pieces, not that big of a deal. Those are easy to replace." She frowned. "But I also had this gorgeous geode that was worth a couple hundred. That one hurt more."

"Someone was able to get a basket and a large roc-crystal," Nancy corrected herself, "out of the store without anyone seeing? They must be experienced."

"Well, a lot of other businesses in town have been robbed too, so I'm sure they are experienced. That's why there hasn't been much police investigation here. Some people had thousands in merch stolen, so I get it." She forced herself to smile. "But that's why you're here!"

"I'll do whatever I can," Nancy promised. "Did they find any clues when they did investigate?"

Maddie shook her head, but began to reach on a shelf under the register. "No, but I did." She triumphantly presented a plastic bag with something shiny in it and handed it to Nancy.

Nancy opened the bag and gingerly removed its contents. "A wrapper?" She spotted a brand name on it: Trident. "A gum wrapper. Yeah, this could help. Hopefully the thief really likes this gum," she added wryly.

"I want to thank you again for doing this," Maddie said. "I would love to take you out to dinner, but I've got to get home and relieve the babysitter. Rain check for lunch tomorrow?"

"Of course." Nancy stood and gave her cousin another hug before heading for the door. But she paused. "By the way, do you remember who you were talking to when the theft happened?"

Maddie pondered for a moment. "The girl? I know her name was Olivia, don't know her last. Curly black hair, taller than us, slim. I'm guessing she was a student at NAU, she had the sweatshirt on. Do you think she was involved?"

"Don't know yet, but it doesn't hurt to investigate. I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?" Nancy waved goodbye before stepping outside, the door's chime twinkling behind her.

The sun was beginning to set behind the mountains, but the city was still covered in a warm, orange glow. But then the light disappeared over Nancy. She looked to her left, and almost groaned when she realized who it was.

Sonny was smiling earnestly at her. "So, how does Mexican food sound?"


	3. Chapter 3

"I'll take Señora Maria's dinner special with the enchiladas, _por favor_." The young waitress grinned at Sonny's use of Spanish. No doubt she had heard that a million times before, but Sonny was so earnest, she couldn't help but appreciate it.

"Of course, and for you, miss?"

Nancy had almost forgotten to look at the menu. She had been wrapped up in her thoughts. Thoughts of Sonny, specifically. Maybe he and Grandpa Jin were right. Maybe there really was an advanced race of beings guiding humans along like puppets on a string. What else could explain the dozens of times Nancy and Sonny's paths would intertwine? They must look like one giant knot by this point.

She had been feeling a bit rudderless lately. When Nancy had returned from her latest case in Iceland, she came home to no new cases and one less boyfriend. She was honestly a bit surprised Ned had only left her then, once she forgot their anniversary. She knew she deserved to get dumped, but it still stung. And she had been left alone with those feelings for a few months before this case popped up, and she could bury herself in her work, as usual. Maybe this was all a sign from the universe. This was Nancy's true purpose, after all, to solve mysteries. And what better way for the all-knowing aliens to send her that sign than with Sonny, the human mystery?

_Whoa, Nancy, you sound like a lunatic_ , she told herself. _You need to chill out. And order._

"Oh, um, may I please have the steak fajitas?" she paused, before pulling out her ID. "And a margarita too. Thank you."

Sonny gave her a curious look before brandishing his own license. "I'll take one, too, thank you."

The waitress smiled as she gathered their menus. "Of course. Your drinks will be out shortly and your meals will be ready in a little bit."

"Sooo…" Sonny was still giving Nancy a strange look. She felt her cheeks start to warm, and, hoping her makeup blush would hide any natural redness, focused on putting her driver's license back in her purse.

"I don't drink much," Nancy felt the need to explain, still looking down at her purse. "Especially when I'm on a case. It's just… you know, it's Arizona, margaritas are a big thing here, I figured… I mean, I'm 21 now…" Once again, Nancy stumbled over her words. This was going to be a long trip.

"Hey, it's totally cool," Sonny replied. Nancy finally met his gaze, which was much more casual now. He even shrugged. "I mean, you're on, like, a half vacation anyway. Which means you can cut half-loose?" His voice rose at the end of his sentence, as if he was unsure. Then he shrugged again.

"What about you? Also half vacation?"

"No, actually. Full vacation. So all the margaritas I want. Which is probably just one, anyway. I get that flush thing when I drink. It feels funny, and not in a good way."

"Oh, okay." Nancy didn't respond to the second half of his statement. "I thought maybe you were here for S.P.I.E.D. reasons, that Jin found something in Arizona."

At the mention of his grandfather, Sonny's demeanor shifted. "Uhh, no, not that." His eyes flitted around the room before lighting up when he saw the waitress. "Oh, look! Our margaritas are here!"

Nancy noted his hesitation about Jin, but let it go for the time being. She thanked their server before taking a good-sized drink of her beverage. The somewhat familiar warmth of alcohol slid down her throat.

"How are Bess and George?" Sonny asked.

"Good. George's leg is completely healed now, she's even been training for a half marathon next year. And Bess is back to her old self. She's been seeing someone. He's a barista, actually." Nancy had to chuckle as she realized the serendipity there.

"Cool cool." Sonny took a sip of his margarita. "Oh, Jamila says hi. She also says the three of us need to be in the same room at some point so we can stop playing messenger."

"I'd like that," Nancy replied. Moments later, their food arrived, and the pair continued to chat about their lives while they ate.

Nancy found out that Sonny had been in Greece the same time as her, with tickets to one of the later, fake shows of the crime-slash-theater troupe. He hadn't heard about what happened to cancel the show until he talked to Nancy. Once again, she thought of those alien puppet masters. _They must be having a great laugh about all of this_.

Eventually, the question came blurting out, "So what _did_ bring you to Sedona?" Nancy had to know, but she made sure to avoid the words "Jin" and "S.P.I.E.D."

"I call it 'alien tourism'." Noticing Nancy's puzzled expression, Sonny realized he needed to explain. "As you may or may not know, Arizona is a hotspot of UFO activity. The Phoenix Lights, Travis Walton's abduction… Wouldn't it be cool to have an experience like that?"

"Well, I once a met an old feral woman in Ireland who got around using a jet pack, does that count?"

Sonny's eyes widened as he pushed his glasses up. "Okay, well, I'm definitely going to have to hear _that_ story someday. So are you ready to go?"

Nancy hadn't even realized they both finished their meals and the waitress had already dropped off their bills. She could've sat in that booth all night talking to Sonny, she realized, which surprised her.

"Oh, yeah. I really need to check into my hotel. I think it's just down the street, though, so at least I don't have to drive." Nancy may have "cut half-loose," as Sonny put it, but she hadn't completely lost it. No way would Nancy Drew drink and drive.

"So is my hotel." As the pair exited the restaurant after paying, Sonny spotted a shop across the street. "I'm going to make a stop at that convenience store. I need to replenish my Koko Kringle supply. It got totally depleted on the drive over here. I guess I'll see you around?"

"Of course! I'm here for a week, so let me know if you want to have lunch or something. Have a good night!" And so Nancy grabbed her bags out of her car, walked down the street to her hotel and checked in, assuming she'd see Sonny once or twice again before she left. The next time? Who knew with Sonny, she was just as likely to run into him in California or in India.

But as both her cousin Maddie and Sonny had said, the universe really was crazy sometimes. Nancy finally took their word for it when, as she was unlocking the door to her room, she heard that all-too familiar voice once again.

"Hey, neighbor!" Sonny was grinning, his eyes crinkling. He was brandishing a Koko Kringle bar from his new stash. "I thought this might happen, so I bought an extra." Then he simply turned around and entered his own room.

Nancy looked down at the candy bar in her hand, and she couldn't help but smile. No matter what happened with the case, this trip would certainly be one to remember.


End file.
